I recently visited Herons for some help turning my 13 year-old horse chestnut tree into a bonsai. Peter kindly root pruned and repotted the tree for me, free of charge. What a delightful human being he is. Keep doing what you are doing Peter, you are awesome!

"It's larger than my head!" With all love and respect to the books, they just don't do justice to his personality like these self-published videos. And I learn something new every time!

After becoming a fan of this Chanel I can’t go anywhere without considering all trees for a bonsai project...but Peter Chan is the true Bonsai Whisperer👏

I don’t think I could have removed that branch mr chan ,but you proved your point once again.

Thank you, for your videos. They offer tranquility.

Peter Chan is the only reason I have things to do during the quarantine.

Peter, I much rather get my information from YOU than Google! Please keep the videos coming! I cannot watch any other bonsai videos; everyone else is just subpar. :)

Even your cameraman is a plant lover, the way he gives us long shots of bonsais before catching up with you. Love your Hawaiian shirt & hat but I’m sure you’ve been told all this before. 🙏🏻 Gurudev ji 🙏🏻

So glad you posted this. I started a sycamore as bonsai over 20 years ago but have never thought anyone would appreciate it as a bonsai. I love its trunk but struggle with the branchwork as sometimes they just die. But I persevere. Now its looking good and now because of this video I have ideas how to improve it. Thanks again

You should make t-shirts saying "let's move on" =).

When I bought my first house in Uk in 1996, I inherited a horse chestnut that looked exactly like the final result after you managed to saw and quite dramatically kick off the second stem on your tree. Twenty or so years later, I had to remove it because of its proximity to the house and the problems it created. Five years later, I am still finding seedlings all over my garden that happens to be over an acre. I have always been a keen gardener and a collector of exotic plants, but the lockdown and enforced solitude have made me think about Bonsai (I used to call foot binding for trees)as a hobby. Herons Bonsai and Peter Chan, in particular, has been my inspiration and I have been watching his youtube videos over and over again for the last four months. I have already collected stray seedlings (Yamadori) of Oaks, horse chestnuts, hawthorn, and many other plants I would otherwise have thrown in the compost heap. I am looking forwards to growing them on. I will continue to watch your very informative videos and thank you for the knowledge you are very keen to transfer.

I am so glad that you have done this video as I started my first ever bonsai as a horse chestnut and was told oops you picked the wrong species however 30 years later they look really nice

I fancy that last conker tree, don't have any yet😍😍. Beautiful trees, bravo Peter. Thanks for sharing and can't wait to see the next one.stay safe to all and Cheers 😄.

I do have one of these in my yard and have kept it for years in a pot and after having seen your videos I realized that I had had a bonsai all along :)

My first bonsai I made, before I knew what it was, was when I tied a small chestnut seedling in a full knot and kept it small! Five years on and it's still growing strong. I've planted it in the ground to help it on but I will pot it again soon.

Such a wonderful and generous video, thank you Peter. And the most beautiful shirt so far!

This video popped up at just the right time, I have 10 conker trees in pots, I planted them last year, and was wondering about bonsai, thanks so much for this excellent video

26:32 "I like to be dramatic." HA HA HA! I always enjoy your presentations, Peter. Keep up the great work. Cheers, Dick from Vancouver.

THANKS ONCE AGAIN PETER, GREAT SHOW. I TOOK YOUR ADVICE, I HAVE A RED MAPLE IN THE YARD WITCH HAS DROPPED SEEDLING ALL AROUND IT SELF. NOW I HAVE AROUND 50 4'' SEEDLINGS GROWING ALL POTTED UP ALONG WITH 12 3'' WHITE BIRCH ALL POTTED. TRYING TO GROW FROM SEED SMOKE TREE'S HAVE 30 OF THOSE POTTED 1'' TALL. ALL OF THESE LOVE THE SUN IN SMALL DOSESS & ALOT OF WATER. I GET ALOT OF ENJOYMENT CARING FOR THEM & SEEING THE RESULTS. SO THANKS PETER FOR GIVING ME THE CAPABILITY TO DO THIS FOR A GREAT HOBBY.

I was absolutely enthralled by this video!..timeless advice, much appreciated xxx

Peter it’s just amazing how much I have learned from you ...thank you so much :)

For the past year I’ve jumped across many of you’re videos , you are the greatest to watch. Such an enjoyable human. Thank you Peter.

The poem about the village smithy and the spreading chestnut tree was written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Since he was an American, he was probably referring to the American chestnut and not a European variety of horse chestnut.

Late, I know. But I was taught as a child that horse chestnut is so called because if you break a leaf off, the cross section of the base of the stem is a horse shoe shape.

Here I am trying to be so gentle with the roots and leaves, and then this guy... :D I learn so much watching these videos. Thank you!

your wisdom and energy are truly inspirational. Thank you for your content. We appreciate you!

I really appreciate all the knowledge you are teaching on your videos. I have had a conker bonsai for years along with 149 other bonsais and I do get a little timid about trimming them back, but you have given me inspiration - very many thanks.

They're called horse chestnuts because the ends of the leafs are horseshoe shaped. In Dutch it's called a 'paardenkastanje' which means exactly the same as the English name.

Peter, i am not sure if you still read commands on these old videos, but the double flowering conker tree is an '' Aesculus hippocastanum 'Baumannii' '' They will have the double flowers but no fruit (just in case you would like to have more of those)

I have fond memories of collecting conkers from a huge tree by my nan's on the way home from school. We'd varnish them, soak them in vinegar and all sorts attempting to create the unbreakable smashing device! I'm sure its banned in schools now! Nuts!

Thanks for this video Peter. I love the last tree you chopped the second trunk off. I believe it will make a lovely bonsai. I collected two horse chestnut seedlings last summer, presumably 3 years old each. I let them be for now, watching them closely and allowing to establish and develop. Who knows, I might have a couple of cute trees in 30 years time :)

Love the shirt!!

Could listen all day to your information 😊

An excellent pollinator habitat tree too sir...there are 2 massive horse chestnut trees, 100+ ft tall, in my neighborhood and when they bloom the entire tree is buzzing with activity...

Brilliant I have two conked trees on the go which I’ve had for a fair few years now. I have been cutting back and removing leaves and yes it does grow back. I was really worried to start with but I thought what the hell, have nothing to loose as it’s not your first choice as bonsai but they are a beautiful tree none the less. Thank you Peter for this long awaited video on this magnificent tree 😊

The American chestnut is Castanea dentata, the horse chestnut we have here is Aesculus hippocastanum, the Ohio buckeye is Aesculus glabra, the yellow buckeye is Aesculus flava, and the California buckeye is Aesculus californica. We also have a chestnut oak Quircus prinus that has simple leaves that look just like chestnut leaves. The sweet buckeye, sweet chestnut and red buckeye aren't as well known or have never been very common here.

First to watch! Lol. Waiting on my shirts! Thanks for all you do sir

Got two in pots i planted with my 2 year old daughter 26 years ago. Beautiful trunks & the leaves are smaller. Would love to see the 'Candles' growing on them but nothing yet.

Love watching your vids, so much variety. 😊Thanks Peter.

I am always motivated by these videos , I hope one day I will visit the UK and meet Peter Chan

What a fantastic instructional video. I have a conker bonsai and will follow your guidance, thank you

I kinda stumbled upon this video while generally browsing KZfaq for stuff about growing trees from conkers - and I'm really glad that I did!! 😀 Some time around 2011/2012 I guess, I started growing around 7 trees from conkers - they were in small pots at first, and after a year or two, I planted them in the ground. By 2016, they were growing really well, and were maybe between knee, and waist high. I moved house in August of that year, and unfortunately I was unable to bring the trees with me, and replant them in our garden here. I have often felt pretty sad about having to leave them, and about a week back, I planted 3 conkers which had been collected at the same time as the original ones from around 2011, and had just been on various shelves or in drawers ever since. I'm not at all sure if they'll actually germinate, since they are now older than some of my jokes, but it's worth a go eh?!! Ha ha 😂 As of now, they're in our small greenhouse in some improvised Pot Noodle pots, so wish me luck and thanks for this channel 🙂 It had never occurred to me to try growing Bonsai trees from conkers before, but I would like to try doing this with these three if they do manage to grow, and I really reckon that the videos on here will be of great help hopefully, so thanks again, take care, and stay safe - best wishes from Simon, Liverpool 😀👍🌲🌿🌱🍀🌳

I am so happy you did this. I have absolutely adored chestnut trees since I was a very small child(very long ago). It was a real treat looking at all the beautiful and different British flowers being from British Columbia- our flowers are no match for what I just viewed. In the fall I think I will visit the park and grab a few chestnuts pot them up and hope the squirrels don’t get them

Thats great ..👍i pass a conker tree on my walk home from work and i did wonder if it could be done and now i know thanks pete keep up the good work 👍👍👍👍

It's so easy to collect seedlings, you can get dozens around an adult. I even have some as indoor trees

Another great video Peter!

Very good tutorial with different ways of making the Conker tree into bonsai. Great ideas.

Thank you for the video! Those were beautiful trees :) Cant wait for the next vid!

Dear Master Peter,I Love Conker Trees but I have also the yellow American Pavia👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Haha third.... looking forward to this as I have a few horse chestnuts. Forest Bonsai and individual bonsai trees. They are wonderful deciduous trees to own and nurture.

Wow, I never was aware that the American variety was so dramatically different, and that there were the other varieties! Such an unexpected tree to learn about here and glad to see it, a very good representation in a pot of the fully sized tree in nature. I must say I don't particularly like the twiggy habit of it but I could get used to it. Its form is not unlike that of the eucalyptus trees here in California with that boxy upright appearance. They share the "suckering" tendency and that rangy twiggy growth. This makes me wonder if a eucalyptus could actually be a good bonsai; they have such a nice smell and nice looking fruits/nuts too. For that matter, maybe also the California Bay Laurel..

I really enjoy watching your videos. Than you.

A pretty great and super interesting video. Thank you Peter!👍😄

Very good video and nice bonsai, I have one of these horse chesnut in a pot here in Madrid, they are very easy to grow, I usually find seed with the little tree growing around the park in spring. I will try to show it to you later on.

My ode to Conker bonsai: Horse chestnut bonsai Conquer growing habit, leaves Like dinner plates

Thanks, I'm currently growing 3 from seedlings.

Omg!I I have learnt so much.. thank you. I have 3 conker seedlings 1 is darker.. I am going to exsperiment with them.. All the best xx

That’s amazing!!

Oh, you have a Buckeye....our state tree here, and the mascot of my alma mater. I will have to try and bonsai some of them and see if they make as good a specimens as your English Horse Chestnut. They do look somewhat similar.

Thank you so much for this inspiring video.Stay safe.👍

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience 🙏. Horse chestnuts are not for eating but useful for medical purposes.

For the first time, real interest in the science of plants!

I carry a plastic ziplock bag with me. Often I find little trees everywhere I go. Seedlings, up to a few years old. Usually in the sidewalk cracks; under the sides of shrubs; all kinds of cast aside places. Nobody cares that you pluck them up. Many times they've been cut back several times already and have interesting shapes to them.

Fantastic! 😃

"Horse Chestnut": the word "horse" is applied to a number of plants where it is used to indicate their coarseness, or crudeness. In the case of Aesculus, clearly there is some similarity between conkers and true chestnuts (if you look quickly or don't pay too much attention to detail). "Horse Radish" is another example. Sharp tasting like a radish, but in comparison, a brute.

U alyas inspired me to do something good. Ur knowledge and hard work it's like my Google I found everything in The video so detailed. Thanks you. Sir

Great video and tips 🙂

Great video thanks.

Peter is too good at bonsaies....he can't fail at all

Fantastic

I'm going to give this a go?!

I have one of these and have been digging the seedlings for many years ... never thought of bonsai....they germinate very easy...SCORE!

I really enjoyed the concept of this video, the way everything comes together. good production

I really enjoy your vids Peter as always, but pls tell Josh that he's done a great job videoing. Welcome back, all!! :D

Thank you Mr. Chan.

School girls...like myself at the time....played conkers too !! Lovely video.

Those little bonsai are adorable compared to the full sized.

I’m sure Peter has a wand like Harry Potter 🧐. “ here’s a log I planted in a pot “..... camera pans to 3 foot bonsai 🤣🤣

I wonder why they tend to get the spots? I appreciate him showing this. I live in America and we always thought you could eat the chestnuts, the squirrels always seem to enjoy them. I thought that is where the famous verse came from: “chestnuts roasting on an open fire .[to eat]...” lines from the Christmas song.

That conker tree is beautiful! I've heard about it but never actually seen one

Growing up, I only ever had one grandfather. If I could choose another, I would choose Peter.

Please Mr show us more of fruit bonsai ....

Thank You 🙏✌️

my dad and I planted a conker about 30 years ago and the little tree is about 3ft tall, because it's been pot bound, and the leaves are titchy - especially since my mum did a big root trim last year.

funny... i just got a seedling 2 weeks ago from my grandmother and now there is a video about these trees

Nice hat!

please do a video on mulberry as bonsai

Hmm, my neighbor has a conker tree. It's October and I think I'll go scour the alley way for some nuts to plant. Who knows, I may find a seedling. Thanks for the tutorial.

This man is dangerously addictive to watch. I think this show should come with warning 😉

awesome

Part 30 of Sunday breakfast with Peter Here we go Stay well Stay safe

I just can say wow

So interesting, I've been eyeing up some catalpa tree seedlings that have naturally grown, I may have to get a few in some pots

I myself have two white horse chestnut trees, a large one and a small shohin size one.

I love my tree like this.

Hello there I have a a lovey horse sheet nut that I have recently repoted this yeah and yeah it wasn't looked after for years and was in the same pot for about 15 or so years and recently got bigger the past few months and it's basically bonzi tree that has some wonderful leaves and flowers to only it has never produced the the horse chest nut the reason I put it in a bigger pot I'd like to see some on my miniature bonzi I planted fron a conker meany years ago as a kid 😀

hi Peter, thanks for this video. I should try this species. Is the same behaviour to be expected with the eatable chestnut? I have one, it had a leaf issue and I had to defoliate. Now I am not sure if it really will make it

I cannot cut for so long time as you do, I have to stop early july, but I feel that horse chestnuts should be grown more as bonsai, in line with ash trees too. But growing bonsai is very interesting and educational in many fields.... artistic, horticultural and easthetics.....And the more you learn, the more you find out that you still have to learn....

Great interesting video here. Speaking about unusual plant to bonsai, have you some example of european walnut? Greetings and happy new year

Superm 🌳💚